The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-05-11
AN UNPARALLELED CASE.
Conviction of Blind Man for the Crime
of Murder.
ITihn (Oaio) Special. I

LTifin Ohio Special
q remarkable trial closed here today in
the conviction of Charles X. Gaines, blind
man, for murder in the second degree.
record. Charles K. Gains was born in Syc-
amore, Wyandotte County, fifty years ago.
AT the age of four years he one day wan
dered from the door to the barn, where his
attention was attracted by litter of pigs.
These struck his fancy, and he appropri-
ated one, and this so enraged the SOW that
she rushed at him and mangled him ter
ribly, his eyes being destroyed. The child
was rescued and recovered, though his eye-
balls were entirely gone. In few years he
had developed a remarkable sensitiveness OF
touch, smell and hearing. He had q strong
tendency to precociousnes s, and before he
had grown up became the terror of the
neighborhood. He would wander about,
night and day, without guide, and was
never known to get lost. He knew where
every melon patch was, where the best
apples, peaches and plums grew, and where
the best berries ripened, and was never
backward about helping himself to any OF
these or other delicacies. While yet a boy
he was presented with a pair of game
chickens by an old minister named Spot
ford, who resided at Sycamore. The blind
boy took great interest in these chickens and
raised more. 1t was not long until he had
n
ar would take them about the country 10
pit against others. He would bet on his
favorite and nobody could fool him about
the result. Standing among the crowd he
always knew whether his chickens were
getting the worst or the best of the fight.
As he grew to manhood he learned to
drink whisky and became ugly and quar-
relsome.
In 1871 he married Medors Sprague, a
graduate of Tiffin High School. For time
be was sober and industrious. Presby-
terians got hold of him. He Joined the
church and made temperance speeches,
greatly moving his audiences.
Many are the strange things he has done.
He has been seen on a steep roof mailing on
shingles, and working as well and as fast
Bs the next man. He could find his way
with perfect ease anywhere; could recog-
niZe an acquaintance at some distance be-
fore he spoke, rode horseback recklessly
and played the violin finely. His career
as a temperance advocate was short, for he
soon went back to drinking and abusing
his wife and children. The climax
was reached last August when he
went on protracted spree and
his wife ordered the saIoon-keeper
to not sell him any whisky. The next day,
August 10, Gaines and his nephew, Nathan
Echelbery, got drunk on hard cider, and
then went to the saloon and demanded
whisky. Failing to get it, they left and
tried to borrow a revolver, but could not
get one.
They then returned to the saloon, each
with large stone, and, again being refused
whisky, they killed the sRloon-keeper with
the stones. The police arrested Gaines IN
the cane-feld, and he was brought in hat
less, coatless, shoeless and eyeless. With
long hair hanging over his shoulders, and
six feet tall, he looked like a wild man.
For eight months he has sat in jail, anus
ing himself with his violin. His nephew
and accomplice was sent to the penitentiarY
for life, and his own conviction now fol-
lows